Starter ignition switch



Aug, .16, 1955 w. w. MILLER 2,715,661

STARTER IGNITION SWITCH Filed April x4, 1953. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 16, 1955 w. w. MILLER 2,715,661

STARTER IGNITION SWITCH Filed April 14, 1955 ZSheets-Sheet 2 9 MA; J

srsnrnn HGNETEGN swrrcn Walter W. Miller, Ahington Township, Montgomery County, Pa., assignor to United Specialties ornpany, Philadelphia, 9a., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 14, 1953, erial No. 343,734

r Claims. (Cl. 2iltl11) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in automobile ignition switches, and more particularly to new and useful improvements in rotary contact mechanism for ignition switches and means to impart rotation to and position the contact mechanism. This invention is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application filed July 16, 1951, and assigned Serial Number 236,944, now Patent Number 2,679,557 issued on May 25, 1954-.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an ignition switch of novel construction which, in addition to the usual Off, On, and Accessory positions, has a position wherein a circuit is completed to the starting motor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel ignition switch of the stated type wherein a single contact plate formed from a sheet of conducting material may be used to complete all of the required circuits through the switch.

Another and equally important object of the present invention is to provide an ignition switch as set forth having a novel construction and arrangement of switch contacts whereby completion of a circuit to the starting motor will elevate the contact plate and remove the contact plate from engagement with the Accessory contact.

These and other objects of the present invention and the various features and details of the operation and construction thereof are hereinafter more fully set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an ignition switch made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the switch illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view illustrating the construction of the switch;

Fig. 3a is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the switch in the position where a circuit is completed to the starting motor.

Fig. 4 is a transverse 44, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse 5-5, Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a transverse 6-6, Fig. 3;

sectional view taken on line sectional view taken on line sectional view taken on line Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2,715,6iii ia-tented Aug. i6, 195?:

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the contact plate.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and particularly Figsl and 2 thereof, reference numeral 20 designates generally an ignition switch which comprises a switch housing 21 having at the front end thereof the usual lock cylinder 22 and at the other end thereof a plurality of terminals 23, 24, and arranged about a central terminal 26.

In accordance with the present invention the terminals 23, 24, 25, and 26 extend through an insulating switch base 27 and provide terminal contacts 23a, 24a, 25a, and 26a interiorly of the housing 2.1. These contacts are arranged for engagement selectively by a flat metal contact plate 28 which is carried by a rotatably mounted switch plate member 29.

As illustrated in Fig. 16, the contact plate 28 comprises an annular ring having a central opening 32 therein. Cut-out portions 33 and 34 along the outer periphery of the ring and a third cut-out portion 35 along the periphery of the central opening 32 allow the contact plate 28 to complete the desired circuits through the terminal contacts. A plurality of forwardly extending lug portions 36 on the contact plate 28 are utilized to secure the latter to the switch plate member 29 in the relation shown in Fig. 13.

The switch plate member 29 is rotatably mounted on a lug 37 formed as an integral part of the central terminal 26. Rotation is imparted to the switch plate member 29 by means of bridge piece 38 constructed as illus trated in Figs. 13 and 14. The bridge 38 comprises a forward cylindrical head portion 39 and rearwardly extending parallel leg portions 42. Extending laterally outward from the free ends of the legs 42 are lugs or fingers 43 which are constructed to be received in slots 44 formed in the rotary switch plate 29 and provide a rotational driving connection between the bridge 38 and the switch plate 29.

Rotation of the entire rotor assembly including the contact plate 28, the switch plate member 29 and the bridge 38, arrangement as shown in Fig. 13, is effected by turning a key in the lock cylinder 22. Extending outwardly from the rear surface of the lock cylinder 22 is a generally rectangular tang portion 45 which is received in a similarly shaped slot 46 in the head portion of the bridge 38. Rotation of the ignition key in the lock cylinder 22- causes similar rotation of the tang 45 thereby imparting rotation to the switch assembly.

Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive of the drawings illustrate the position of the contact plate 28 with respect to the contact terminals for the various positions of the ignition switch. The contact plate 28 is insulated from the switch housing and may be energized through the contact terminal 23a which in most instances is connected to the ammeter on the dashboard of an automobile. In the Off position of the switch shown in Fig. 8, the connection between the contact plate 28 and the terminal 23a is broken so that there is no current passing through the switch.

In order to start the motor the contact plate 28 is rotated in the clockwise direction to the position illustrated in Fig. 9 in which it contacts the terminals 23a, 24a, and 26a. Contacting the terminal 24a completes the ignition circuit to the motor and the circuit to the starting solenoid of the starting motor is completed through the contact terminal 2611. After the motor has started the contact plate is rotated in the counterclockwise direction to the position illustrated in Fig. 10, thus bringing the contact terminal 26a into alignment with the cut-out portion 35 of the contact plate and breaking the circuit to the starting solenoid but still maintaining an unbroken ignition circuit. In this position of the switch, the accessory circuit is completed through the contact terminal 25:: which is engaged by the contact plate 28.

In accordance with the present invention, the terminal 26:: for the starter motor is offset outwardly with respect to the terminals 23a, 24a, and 25a and is in radial alignment with the terminal 250 through which the circuit to the automobile accessories is completed. As the contact plate 2% is rotated toward the Start position, the leading edge 35a of the cut-out 35 on the contact plate 28 engages the terminal 26a and lifts the contact plate out of engagement with the terminal 25a. The contact plate 28 and the switch plate member 29 are tilted about the lug 37 by engagement with the terminal 26a to remove the contact plate 23 from engagement with the terminal 25a yet still maintain contact with the terminals 23a and 24a, thereby breaking the circuit to the automobile accessories. Further rotation of the switch will bring the cut-out portion 34 of the contact plate 23 into alignment with the terminal 25a. When the switch is rotated from the Start position to the On position, the terminal 26:: is disposed in the cut-out portion 25 of the contact plate 28 and the contact plate engages the terminal 250. By this construction, do contact plate 23 is lifted out of engagement with the terminal 25a and then lowered into engagement with the terminal 25:! rather than slide over the terminal 25a, thereby precluding the possibility of the terminal 25a catching against the edge of the cut-out portion 34 and preventing proper operation of the starter ignition switch.

To complete solely the circuit to the car accessories, the contact plate 28 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to the position illustrated in Fig. 11 contacting the terminals 230 and 25a which completes the circuit through the ignition switch to the accessories.

In accordance with the present invention means are provided to properly position the contact plate 28 with respect to the terminals for the various settings of the ignition switch. To this end, there is provided on the forward inner surface of the switch housing 21 diametrically disposed semi-circular cam tracks 47, 47 which are arranged concentrically of the rotational axis of the switch rotor assembly. A pin 48 having its opposite ends disposed in cooperative engagement with the cam tracks 47, 47 is slidably mounted in slots or guideways 49 extending lengthwise of the leg portions 42 of the bridge member 38. A coil spring 52 is positioned within the bridge piece 38 and between the pin 48 and the switch plate 2-9 and this spring operates to maintain the pin 43 yieldingly in engagement with the cam tracks 47, 47 while the slots or guideways 49 permit the pin 48 to be displaced against the spring 52 in accordance with variations in the height of the cams. Rollers 51, 51 at the ends of the pin 48 enable the pin to roll easily on the surface of the cam tracks 47, 47.

A smaller coil spring 53 is positioned at the outer side of the pin 48 between it and the forward wall of the bridge piece 38. By this construction the pin 4-8 is held under the opposing pressures of the springs 52 and 53 so that rattling of the pin is precluded and the spring 53 in conjunction with the spring 52 maintains the bridge 38 against the lock cylinder 22, thereby preventing rattling of the lock cylinder 22.

A developed contour of the cam surface is illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawing in order to show the relative positions of the pin 43 with respect to the cam track 47 in the various settings of the ignition st itch. Each cam track 47 has three low portions 55, and 56 in which the pin 48 may be engaged when the switch is turned to its Off position, 011" position, or Accessory position, respectively, as shown in Figs. 8, 10, and 11. These portions of the cam track serve to properly position the contact plate with respect to the contact terminals.

When the contact plate 28 is rotated to its extreme clockwise position, as illustrated in Fig. 9, in order to complete the circuit to the starting solenoid the pin 4-8 rides up the cam track 47 to the right-hand stops 57, 57 as shown in Fig. 12, and upon release of the ignition key the pin 48 and cam track 47 in coperation with spring 52 cause the switch rotor to move counter-clockwise to the On position in which the pin 48 is positioned at the low portion 55 of the cam track 47. The extreme counterclockwise position of the contact rotor is limited by the lefthand stops 53 which are adjacent to the low portions 5s on the cam track 47.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the present invention provides a novel ignition switch which, in addition to the usual 01f, On, and Accessory positions also has a position wherein a circuit is completed to the starting motor. The invention also provides an ignition switch having a novel construction of switch contacts whereby completion of a circuit to the starting motor will remove the accessory contact from engagement with the contact plate. Furthermore, the present invention provides a novel ignition switch wherein a single contact plate formed from a sheet of conducting material may be used to complete all of the required circuits through the switch. In addition, the present invention provides a novel ignition switch having the features and characteristics set forth which is easily and cheaply manufactured and is entirely efficient and effective in operation and use.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosures, and changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. in a starter ignition switch comprising a housing having an insulating base at one end thereof, switch actuating means mounted for rotary movement in said housing, a first contact terminal extending a predetermined distance above said base, a second contact terminal mounted in said base and extending outwardly therefrom a distance greater than the distance of said first terminal, a contact plate mounted in said housing for relative rotary movement with respect to said contact terminals between predetermined limit positions in engagement with said first contact terminal in one predetermined position thereof, said contact plate having a cutout portion therein registering with said second contact terminal in said one predetermined position, a bridge piece interconnecting said switch actuating means with said contact plate, and means yieldingly mounting said contact plate on said contact bridge piece for limited displacement thereof upon rotary movement of the contact plate from said one predetermined position to remove said contact plate from engagement with the first contact terminal and into engagement with the second contact terminal.

2. In a starter ignition switch comprising a generally cylindrical housing having an insulating base at one end thereof and a rotatable lock cylinder at the other end thereof, a first contact terminal extending a predetermined distance above the surface of said base, a second contact terminal mounted in said base and extending outwardly therefrom a distance greater than the distance of said first terminal, a contact plate rotatably mounted in said housing in engagement with said first contact terminal in a predetermined position thereof, said contact plate having a cutout portion therein adjacent said second contact terminal in said predetermined position, and means interconnecting said lock cylinder with said contact plate from said predetermined position into engagement with said second contact terminal to rotate the contact plate upon similar rotary movement of the lock cylinder.

3. in a starter ignition switch comprising a housing having an insulating base at one end thereof and a lock cylinder at the other end thereof, said lock cylinder mounted for rotary movement about an axis of the housing, a plurality of first contact terminals extending a predetermined distance above the surface of said base and equally spaced from said axis, a second contact terminal mounted in said base and extending outwardly therefrom a distance greater than the distance of said first terminals, a contact plate rotatably mounted in said housing in engagement with said first contact terminals in a predetermined position thereof, said contact plate having a cutout portion therein adjacent said second contact terminal in said predetermined position, a bridge piece interconnecting said lock cylinder with said contact plate to rotate the contact plate from said predetermined position upon similar rotary movement of the lock cylinder out of engagement with one of said first contact terminals and into engagement with said second contact terminal.

4. In a starter ignition switch comprising a generally cylindrical housing having an insulating base at one end thereof and a lock cylinder at the other end thereof, said lock cylinder mounted for rotary movement about the longitudinal axis of the housing, a plurality of first contact terminals extending a predetermined distance above the surface of said base and equally spaced from the longitudinal axis of said housing, a second contact terminal mounted in said base in radial alignment with one of said first contact terminals and extending outwardly therefrom a distance greater than the distance of said first terminals, a contact plate rotatably mounted in said housing in engagement with said first contact terminals, in a predetermined position thereof, said contact plate having a cutout portion therein adjacent said second contact terminal in said predetermined position, a bridge piece interconnecting said lock cylinder with said contact plate to rotate the contact plate upon similar rotary movement of the lock cylinder, and means on said bridge 6 piece yieldingly mounting said contact plate for limited displacement upon rotation of said contact plate from engagement with said one first contact terminal into engagement with said second contact terminal.

5. In a starter ignition switch comprising a housing having an insulating base at one end thereof, switch actuating means mounted in said housing for rotary movement about the longitudinal axis of the housing, a plurality of first contact terminals extending a predetermined distance above said insulating base, said first contact terminals positioned equi-distant from the axis of said housing, a second contact terminal mounted in said base and extending outwardly therefrom a distance greater than the distance of said first contact terminals, said second contact terminal being positioned radially relative to one of said first contact terminals, a contact plate mounted in said housing for relative movement with respect to said contact terminals in engagement with said first contact terminals in a predetermined position thereof, said contact plate having a cutout portion therein registering with said second contact terminal in said predetermined position, means yieldingly mounting said contact plate on said switch actuating means for rotary movement therewith and side edges on said cutout portion of said contact plate operable upon rotation of said contact plate from said predetermined position to engage said second contact terminal and lift said contact plate out of engagement with said one of said first contact terminals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

